In This City
by slyprentice
Summary: A collection of various drabbles and/or one-shots for prompts or challenges based on the television show Daredevil. Various pairings and ratings apply. Please see each new addition for details. Gen, Het, and Slash.
1. Chapter 1

**Title** : To See and Touch  
 **Author** : Prentice  
 **Rating** : PG  
 **Fandom** : Daredevil (TV)  
 **Pairing** : Gen (with Matt/Karen undertones)  
 **Warnings** : None  
 **Summary** : Matt finally has the chance to "see" Karen.

 **Author's Notes** : Please note that each chapter of this is its own distinct fic with its own distinct pairing (or no pairing). They are _**not**_ meant to be read as one story. Each drabble/one-shot will have its pairing and summary clearly labeled.

 _ **Fair warning**_ _: I'll be writing both het and slash when it comes to pairings. If you don't like it, don't read it._

* * *

The slow sweep of his fingers down the side of her face makes her shiver, stomach muscles clenching when the rough catch of callouses smooth gently over her lower lip. It's his third pass over that spot, his third brush against the swell of her lips, and she has to fight the urge to lick them; to swallow harder than absolutely necessary.

He would feel it then. He would feel it and he would stop and she doesn't want him to right now. Not yet, not just yet. Not until he's done, not until he's – he's _seen_ her.

Another pass against her lips, with thumbs this time, which press softly and then drag away. Fingertips gliding down her jaw, over her chin, to the tender flesh of her neck. She shivers again, gives into the urge to sweep her tongue against the phantom warmth still burning against her mouth.

The hands – the touch – pulls away slowly then, hovering for a moment, suspended in midair as if he wants to touch her again, to drag his fingers over her lips, before they fall away.

"Karen," he murmurs quietly, the sound a tingling warmth that flares brightly in her stomach. "You're beautiful."


	2. Chapter 2

**Title** : Kept - Part 1  
 **Rating** : Mature  
 **Pairing** : Karen Pages/James Wesley  
 **Category** : Sugar Daddy AU  
 **Warning** : Paid companionship, Mild Coercion, Murky Consent Issues  
 **Summary** : In another universe, Karen thinks perhaps her life wouldn't be this way.

 **Author's Notes** : This was inspired by a 'Sugar Daddy' prompt on the daredevil kink meme. I could never manage to cobble together a full story for it so instead you get short snapshots into Karen's relationship with James. I plan to revisit this at some point (hence the 'part 1'). Enjoy!

* * *

In another universe, Karen thinks perhaps her life wouldn't be this way. It would be easy, she thinks, proper. She'd have a job – a good, steady, dependable job – and her own apartment – no roommates or troublesome neighbors – and her own means to support herself.

That is not this life. Will never be this life, most likely. She has accepted it as best she can; has developed a certain level of pragmatism towards the things in her life she can't – or won't – change.

The last year and half has taught her that. Has stripped away the smooth edges she came with and left behind something sharp and jagged. New and tender flesh hardened into something she likes to pretend not to recognize.

She does, though. She has to – the life she lives now doesn't suffer fools lightly and the one thing she always promised herself was that she would never be a fool. Not for anyone.

Even if it would make her life easier.

* * *

His hands are larger than hers are. His fingers longer and perhaps a shade too masculine for the manicure he gets every Monday. Sometimes she likes to think of them.

Not sexually, so much of their relationship revolves around sex and the careful give and take that has slowly been established. Instead, she thinks of them in other ways. Gesturing vaguely, cradling a cell phone, holding utensils.

It somehow makes it easier, thinking of them in such normal ways. Those hands – these fingers – they could never hurt her if they're busy being normal. If they are occupied with simple tasks.

They can't hold her tether. Hold her leash. They do, though.

They do.

* * *

He tells her to call him 'Wesley' at first, the corners of his mouth pulling down in vague dissatisfaction. It's not what he wants from her – not really – and they both know it but neither of them are willing to push. Her especially.

She doesn't like to think to the things she's agreed to. Doesn't like to think of what it says about her. Money, it makes the world go round and she's proving it each and every day.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title** : One Swift Kick  
 **Rating** : Teen  
 **Pairing** : Female!Foggy/Matt  
 **Category** : Genderbend  
 **Warning** : Language.  
 **Summary** : Always-a-Fem!Foggy has been in love with Matt for longer than she ever cares to think about (or admit to).

 **Author's Notes** : This was inspired by a 'always-a-girl!Foggy' prompt on the daredevil kink meme. I'll likely expand on it later. :)

* * *

Sometimes Foggy wishes she'd never met Matt Murdock. It's an uncharitable thought – an unthinkable one most days – but occasionally, it's the truth. She loves Matt – loves him; perhaps more than is entirely healthy for her own mental and emotional wellbeing – but that doesn't mean she doesn't occasionally feel like kicking him in the balls.

Or, well, you know what, she usually feels like kicking him in the balls. Mostly because he _deserves_ a kick in the balls from somebody and she's pretty sure those leggy supermodel-types he sometimes brings home won't do it. Kiss his balls, maybe, but not kick them and, really, that's enough of a reason for her to _want_ to kick them.

Which is kind of shitty because – well, because of reasons – but that doesn't mean it won't make her feel better. About herself. About the world. About – everything.

Only, you know, not, because Matty is actually – he's pretty great. Awesome, really. The best kind of friend she could have ever ask for but didn't because Frances 'Foggy' Nelson doesn't have many friends and hadn't realized what she'd been missing.

Having a best friend, especially a best friend like Matt, isn't something she'd give up. Not without a fight and tears and possibly some threats of litigation. Because she's a lover, not a fighter, and her words – her voice, her mind – is where her power lies, not her fists or chubby thighs – god, she hated her thighs; she really needs to lay off the churros.

Anyway though, yeah, having Matt – as a friend; always a fucking friend, god her life sucks – is probably one of the best things in her life right now. Which makes it all the more frustrating, the more soul-sucking, to have to have all these – these fucked-up emotional attachments to the guy when she already knows she never stood a chance. Not in a million fucking years.

Like, the chances of the sky opening back up and spewing out another round of aliens is probably higher. Having Tony Fucking Stark stop by Nelson and Murdock for some lawyering is probably higher. Hell, having the sink in her craptacular apartment with its thrift store furniture and overcrowded kitchen actually stop dripping for once is probably higher.

So, yeah, it sucks, but it's also great, because – Matt.

Matt Murdock.

Matt oblivious-to-your-feelings Murdock.

God, she really wants to kick him the balls sometimes.


	4. Chapter 4

**Title** : Delighful  
 **Rating** : Teen+  
 **Pairing** : Gen with OT3 friendship  
 **Category** : Crack  
 **Warning** : references to past drug use and non-con drug use. Also silliness.  
 **Summary** : Written for a misplaced comment fill on the daredevil kink meme. The comment was "This is delightful."

 **Author's Note** : This is just pure silliness based on the idea that Matt has dated plenty of questionable women in his past and Foggy (and Karen now) have to "suffer" for it. Enjoy!

* * *

"This is delightful."

For a long uncomfortable moment, silence reigned in the office, twin looks of muted horror passing over Foggy and Karen's faces as they watched Matt carefully rub Foggy's jacket and Karen's scarf against his face. He did it slowly, head swaying back and forth between the two like a drowsy contented cat, the sound of his stubble-covered cheeks and chin a quiet underscore to his –his –

"Is he _purring_?" Karen asked, tone incredulous and bemused. "I mean, I say purring, but – " She made a vaguely aborted hand gesture, eyes widening when Matt – purred? – louder, nose burying itself in the fold of Foggy's jacket, lips opening to mouth happily along the collar.

"He's definitely purring," Foggy confirmed, expression switching from muted horror to something a little more indefinable and self-conscious as Matt – groaned? Growled? – and rubbed his face further into the jacket. As if he were trying to rub his – scent – into it. Or maybe rub Foggy's scent onto _him_.

It was – kind of – not adorable because what the fuck – but also kind of – Karen didn't know. She didn't know and wasn't sure she wanted to know. She just hoped she could get her scarf back before it got the same treatment.

"Foggy, what the hell is – ?"

A loud purring snuffle interrupted her, Matt lifting his head to once again mouth along the fabric. His expression was – dazed, contented. A cat who'd gotten the cream and the goddamn canary.

Karen blinked, Foggy making a rough noise inside his throat from beside her.

This was just so – it was –

"He ate those brownies, didn't he?" Foggy asked flatly, expression once again morphing from indescribable to something that might have been irritation if it wasn't for the slow flush that was crawling up his neck. "The ones that woman – what was her name? Patricia? Psycho Bitch?– dropped off yesterday?"

"What -? No!" Karen denied, head shaking as Matt hummed from the other side of the conference room. It was a strangely happy noise, for all that it sounded slightly ragged. "After you told me about her, I threw them – " Karen stopped, eyes widening further as she remembered. " – shit! I forgot – I mean, I meant to – but I put them on the corner of my desk to throw away before I left but then Mr. and Mrs. Martinez came in and," she shook her head again, "it slipped my mind."

"And they weren't on your desk when you came in?" Foggy prompted. The look on his face was enough to tell her he already knew the answer. Especially with Matt – purring – in the background.

"No," she replied. "They were gone but I didn't think anything of it. I thought you must have…you didn't?"

"No, "Foggy answered, hand lifting to scrub irritably at the side of his face "I told Matt not to go out with her! She was a psycho bitch in college and she's a psycho bitch now. _Fuck_! I can't believe he'd be stupid enough to eat anything she gave him!"

"You mean she–? What? Drugged them?" Karen asked disbelievingly, the hope of getting her scarf back dying a quick and painless death as Matt finally turned his attention to it and wrapped it around his head. It was – she – it was pink – baby powder pink – and she'd only worn it this morning because the wind had threatened to turn her hair into a rat's nest and now Matt was – was – she really needed to find her phone and record this. For blackmail material if nothing else. "I just thought you didn't like her so we were throwing them away on principle!"

"I don't like her! And, yes, she drugged them!" Foggy growled, hand falling from his face to slap hard against the table. The sound was enough to make her jump, Matt pausing momentarily in his - marking? - of Karen's scarf to growl as well before he went right back to – doing what he was doing. "She tried it before, when we were in college. Only, Matt wasn't the one dumb enough to eat them; I did!"

"You – she – and you didn't press charges?" Karen asked because, as strange and funny as this was, it was also really really not. Especially if some woman was trying to – what? – drug Matt into liking her? Dating her?

"Yes," Foggy started then shook his head. "I mean no. I mean," he sighed. "I didn't know for sure that it was her until now. Plus, it was college. I figured if it wasn't her, someone in our dorm must have left them for us. It wasn't that unusual, if you know what I mean."

Tentatively, Karen nodded, because – college. She had plenty of her own weirdly uncomfortable stories to tell. Not that she ever would, especially if it involved questionably illegal substances and her lack of clothing afterwards.

"So," she said after a few minutes of them both watching Matt growl, snuffle, and purr his way over her scarf before he decided to drape Foggy's jacket over his head as well. "Is this, you know, usual for him? When he's –?"

Foggy shook his head. "No, he's usually – he's usually a lot worse, if I'm being honest. Matt's always been kind of sensitive when it comes to this kind of thing. I think it has something to do with him being," he hesitated, "blind, I guess. He told me once that his other senses are really delicate. That's why we never really did much – you know."

Karen nodded again. She did know. "And does he always act like a big contented house cat? "

"Yeah," Foggy replied, hand lifting from the table to rub against the back his neck. "Kind of. It's a thing. Just be glad he's not doing that" he gestured to where Matt was seemingly scrubbing his face against both their clothing, "to you."

"He does that? I mean – he did that? To you?"

"Yeah," Foggy revealed, voice dragging out the word slowly.

Karen stared.

Foggy – coughed. "Anyway, he should be fine in a few hours. I mean, we could bring him to the hospital, but they won't be able to do much for him and he'd probably be pissed at us afterwards anyway. Best just let him," he flapped a hand, "do his thing."

"But, what should do with him? I mean," she glanced at the clock, "aren't you two meeting a new client later? That referral from your cop friend Brett?"

"I'll meet them by myself," Foggy decided. "We can't have them seeing him like – " Matt purred " – this, and anyway, he won't be any use. We'll just have to leave the blinds closed and keep him in here until they're gone. That way we can keep an eye on him too."

"But what about – ?" Karen paused because Matt was – was – he was actually…

"Okay, it's time to leave," Foggy said quickly, hand settling firmly on Karen's shoulder as he pushed her towards the door. Behind them, Matt growled out a noise from beneath their stuff, something that sounded vaguely like the word "delightful" as he – he – a hand settled over her eyes as Foggy shoved her the last few inches out the door.

A soft growling groan drifted out the room before the door was slammed shut behind them.

For a moment, Karen could do nothing and then – she giggled.

"He does that too, huh?"

Foggy sighed, hand lifting from her eyes to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"I don't want to talk about it."


End file.
